Shillong: Railway connectivity through Mendipathar Railway Station in North Garo Hills, Meghalaya’s first railway station, has benefited residents by lowering the cost of essential commodities and giving farmers easier access to markets outside the state, North Garo Hills deputy commissioner MSN Marak said.“The railway service has enabled farmers to transport freshly harvested vegetables and other agricultural produce to Guwahati, where they can sell their produce and return home the same day. This has considerably reduced transportation costs while providing local farmers with access to wider markets,” Marak told a team of visiting journalists from Shillong on Monday.The media team was visiting North Garo Hills as part of a press tour organised by the state directorate of information and public relations.Marak said organic vegetables from the region were in high demand in Guwahati, giving farmers better opportunities to market their produce.“The railway network has also helped reduce the cost of essential commodities by facilitating the direct transportation of goods into the district,” she said.Highlighting the advantages of railway connectivity over districts without such facilities, Marak said transportation costs in those areas tended to be higher.Mendipathar Railway Station is also being used to transport goods to major cities such as Kolkata and Delhi, while bringing products from larger urban centres to the region, she said.Marak said railway infrastructure was being expanded, which was expected to attract more investment and encourage industrial development in North Garo Hills.She expressed optimism that improved connectivity and the establishment of industries would create wider economic opportunities, benefiting farmers in the district and contributing to Meghalaya’s overall development.Addressing concerns over influx, Marak said people were entering the district through roadways rather than through Mendipathar Railway Station.“Since our district shares a border with Assam, we see people coming through the roadways and not by railway,” she told the journalists in response to a question about concerns raised by NGOs opposing the introduction of railways in the Khasi Hills region.
